Question

28 years old man was presented to having fever and fatigue. He had difficulty breathing, headache and very unwell. However all bacteriology related work indicated no causative agent. The patient Igs levels were tested and there was a slightly elevated IgE level in addition to high levels of IgG. The patient showed no allergies to any of the agents in the allergy test. What other test you would do to determine the cause of the illness? Why would you take such a step? Why IgE levels are important in this case? Why IgE is referred to as the only harmful antibody? What does fever mean in general and why is it not looked at as a specific symptom? How could levels of Immunoglobulins assist in determine the type of antigen a person is infected with? Give examples of how levels of Igs can assist to determine the causative agent.(microbiology)

Answer 1

IgE is the antibody which is usually found in the serum in a low concentration. During the infection the concentration of IgE usually elevate. In the given case there is no causative agent has been found during the test. This means that there are some internal immunological problems. There can be hyper IgE syndrome. This is a immunodeficiency disease.

A test to see the level of other immune cells and any affected organ should be performed. As there can be chance of cancer as well. IgE level also increase in the initial phase of the cancer development. Fever is not the specific symptom as there are several reasons that can lead to fever. The level of different igs increase in the different and specific infection which help in determining the causative agent.